


No Words Needed

by asgardianthot



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Both Idiots Need a Hug, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Declarations Of Love, Dorks in Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sam Wilson Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:33:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22942600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asgardianthot/pseuds/asgardianthot
Summary: Sam and Bucky spend their days in that cabin anticipating and preparing for the dreaded day in which they will have to go back to the real world- the hero gig. Although they struggle with their separate fears, they've learned to speak without words.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson
Kudos: 47





	No Words Needed

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the FATWS trailer and gone mad luv mad
> 
> originally posted on tumblr: asgardianthot

Life there wasn’t too bad. It was the idea of stepping out into the real world that terrified them to the core. And they didn’t explicitly mention it, but because they didn’t have to. Words weren’t necessary. Bucky could see it in Sam’s sweaty face, as he practiced and failed and beat himself up about not getting the proper hang of the shield. He could hear it in Sam’s grunts when he threw it, employing the last bit of his strength, and still missed.

Because Sam didn’t think he was good enough for the shield, and soon, they both would have to face the real world. They would get a call any minute now. A mission. An outing. And the lovely little cottage in which they spent their days, preparing to reintegrate the Forces, would become nothing but a memory of a quieter time.

It was visible in Bucky’s face as he held a big envelope with the CIA stamp on the inner seal.

In fact, Sam walked in on Bucky staring down at the papers he had distributed in both hands, standing in the middle of the living room, frozen. At first, Sam was highly tempted to joke about the CIA’s environmental practices for using printed paper instead of digital archives, but after noticing the silent panic growing in Barnes’ features, Sam approached him and took the documents away.

They were update reports. Pieces of information of what the –currently very dysfunctional and chaotic– institution had on specific targets. Some contained names, locations, dates and what at first sight resembled future deals, meaning the CIA had been tracking large scale criminals without actually engaging in any form of attack, and some documents were simply pictures of said targets, spotted out in the streets. That could only mean one thing: _get ready_. The pair had been assigned these cases, and they would have to engage very soon. Sam considered offering Bucky tranquilizing words, or perhaps giving him a full lecture on how _he could do this_.

But as soon as he read more carefully, he understood what paralyzed Bucky like that. _Arms dealer, former KGB associate. Arms dealer, former STRIKE, former HYDRA agent. MO, former HYDRA scientist._

He looked up from the envelope, only to find a wide-eyed Bucky, staring off into nothingness and clenching his jaw like there was a cyanide tooth he could pop, so he moved to drop the papers on the coffee table. When he walked back to the frozen figure, he pressed his chest against Bucky’s back and wrapped him up with both arms. Within the embrace, he could feel Bucky’s heart rate going off and his breaths heaving a little, so he simply hugged him tighter. He ran one thumb up and down the man’s chest, in hopes to make him feel cherished and supported, but it didn’t seem to help just yet.

He began breathing more and more hectically, until he was effectively hyperventilating, and so Sam, never loosening the tight grip on the man’s torso, dragged both bodies to the sofa. He guided Bucky carefully as they both walked backwards, and as soon as he managed to sit both figures down, Barnes appeared to snap back into reality. He looked around the room like he had lost his whereabouts, and that, of course, freaked him out more than anything. Sam merely held him in his arms and rocked him for as long as Bucky needed.

They both had very different fears. Bucky could see it in Sam’s sweaty face, as he practiced and failed and beat himself up about not getting the proper hang of the shield. He could hear it in Sam’s grunts when he threw it, employing the last bit of his strength, and still missed. Only this time, as Bucky sat on the grass, enjoying the fresh country-side air and keeping Sam company, he saw more frustration than he’d seen in Samuel’s eyes before.

He lifted his gaze right on time to see Sam get furious with himself and throw the shield with pure rage and a loud growl. No technique, no precautions nor actual aim, but a desperate and annoyed and very sloppy shot that sent the artefact somewhere into the forest. Unfortunately, such anger release should still have been executed with the right skill, for the sloppiness of it harmed Wilson’s wrist. As soon as Bucky saw him complain and hold his own hand, he stood up and attempted to take a look.

“Fuck!” Sam let out, turning around to refuse Bucky’s attention.

“You okay?” the latter asked.

“No, I’m not! I’m so not okay, I’m terrible.” He turned back around and began venting right on Bucky’s face, “I should be getting this right by now, it shouldn’t be so hard! He never should’ve given me the shield, I can’t…”

Bucky felt his heart heavy on his chest, listening to Sam’s self-deprecation. But he listened quietly, giving him room to get it out of his system.

“I’m already not even half of who he was, Buck.” He lowered his tone during that specific lament, then returned to a more elevated and frustrated one, aimlessly waving his arms around, “Now I can’t even use this thing! How am I supposed to go out and _fight_ with it? Why’d I ever think I could _do_ this? I’m not ready. I never was! Why the hell did he-? I…”

As his rage turned into rambling and his words drowned out in loud breaths, Bucky took a few decided steps in his direction and forced Sam into a hug. No matter his doubts, the important thing right now was for Samuel to calm down. Giving into the gesture yet not completely, Sam didn’t need to reciprocate the embrace for his thoughts to become quieter. His nose still flared with discontent, but he managed to control his breath with Bucky’s arms around him and his head resting on Sam’s shoulder.

When nighttime came, Sam’s hand barely didn’t hurt anymore. After applying a bag of frozen peas for an hour, the articulation almost felt brand as new. However, that didn’t mean the subject was done for. The couple was sitting on the couch, silently watching television, when Wilson realized he couldn’t move past it so easily, and therefore he pressed the _off_ button on the remote without any former announcement.

Bucky turned to face him with a mildly confused look.

"You shouldn't do that.” Sam said softly, “Walk into people's breakdowns when they're being violent."

The brunette simply shrugged, "Seemed like you needed it."

"I did. Thank you.” Sam gave him the smallest grin of gratitude before closing all distance between them and planting a kind and short kiss on his partner’s lips, “But I'm serious. I'm wired for... making sure you don't get hurt. But that's _me_. Do that adorable gesture with anyone else, they might accidentally-"

"Who else would I hug, Sam?" Barnes interrupted him in a mocking tone.

"I don't know." The man laughed, "Sharon? And she'd definitely break your arm. Perhaps even intentionally."

Bucky smiled big as he nodded. A tiny chuckle escaped his lips, and he looked into the distance, already forgetting what they were discussing. Sam contemplated that, how when your past is so traumatic and painful every little problem now seems too easy to deal with. Maybe he didn’t care if Sam had lost control and got him hurt for barging in the middle of his rage, because he didn’t care too much about his physical integrity. Perhaps he did, but he valued Sam’s emotions a whole of a lot more. Or maybe he was so nonchalant about any kind of conflict –that didn’t involve Hydra or the KGB, of course– that he hadn’t even thought about it. He just hugged Sam because his gut told him to.

All things considered, Bucky was a pretty sane guy, which gave Sam some well-deserved tranquility. He knew he didn’t have to take care of Bucky. He didn’t even have to talk some sense into him, but merely wrap him in his arms and support him, and he rejoiced in the idea that Bucky had done _that exactly_ to him earlier that day.

"Come 'ere." Sam let out, extending his arm for Bucky to lay back against him, with love and borderline worshipping in his voice.

"Why?" Bucky reacted rather aggressively.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Just come, don't be stubborn."

"Oh, _I'm_ stubborn?"

" _James_. I'm begging you. Let me be cute and mushy, please?"

Suddenly, Barnes felt all too dumb because it took him so long to understand a simple love gesture: _Come ‘ere. I wanna hold you._ He concealed the small smile threatening to take over his features and did as asked, falling back and resting his head on Sam’s lap. The latter stared down at his partner with smitten eyes, and soon began running his fingers down the brunette’s hair. After a whole minute or two of the most intense yet at the same time softest eye contact, Sam’s hands travelled to the man’s cheeks and started caressing him with extreme care.

"I love you." He spoke loud and clear, certain of his bold statement.

For being the first time any of them said it, he was surprisingly calm. There was no nervousness, no hesitation, but heavy and utter admiration for the man whose head rested on his lap.

Bucky raised his eyebrows without thinking it, "Shit."

Even though nothing would ever make Sam take it back, an embarrassed smirk took over as he looked away.

"I mean, I..." Bucky tried to retract such a harsh reply, and he made Sam face him again by his chin, "I wasn't expecting it. I thought we just... weren't that kind of people."

"The kind of people who _love_?" Sam narrowed his eyes jokingly.

"No, of course I love you. I thought that was obvious, 's why I just figured we weren't gonna make a big deal out of it."

The words made Sam smile idiotically. He truly, entirely and frantically loved that stupid, stupid, dumbass. And his way of saying ‘I love you’ was even more idiotic than Bucky himself, which only made Sam adore him even more.

"Good to know.” He said as if it physically bothered him to speak through such an intense smile, “But I like big deals. That bother you?"

Bucky dragged Sam’s chin down in order to make their faces meet.

"Nah. I'm cool with that." He said before kissing him, claiming him without words.


End file.
